Andropause— a gradual decrease in blood testosterone and biological­ly available free testosterone— is a significant health issue in aging men. It is linked to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, depression, loss of muscle and bone mass and decreased sexual performance. It is not as obvious as menopause (per­manent cessation of menstruation in women), so many physicians don’t consider it a significant health issue.

Landmark studies found that aging men increased muscle mass, decreased fat and improved quality of life from testosterone supplements. Australian scientists showed that aging men (55 and older) decreased abdominal fat and increased muscle mass without side effects following 12 months of low-dose testosterone therapy (nighttime testosterone patch). Abdominal fat deposition is part of the Metabolic Syndrome— a group of symptoms linked to heart disease that include insulin resist­ance, high blood pressure, abnormal blood fats, type 2 diabetes, inflam­mation and blood-clotting abnormali­ties. This was another study show­ing the benefits and low risk of testosterone therapy in aging men.